Filed under: iPhone, App Store, App Review
Navigon updates iPhone app, adds some desired features
Navigon, as promised, has updated MobileNavigator [iTunes link] for the iPhone. According to the developer:"The free update adds a couple of new features and enhancements to the MobileNavigator. NAVIGON's route planning function known from the companies PND line enables users to plan a route with different destinations ahead of time. Taking advantage of the iPhone's own functionalities, a call POI (point of Interest) function allows to directly call the number of a POI such as a restaurant or hotel by simply clicking on the number. It is also possible to save it to the user's contacts. Furthermore, the update provides an optimized volume control when navigating and using the integrated iPod function of the iPhone at the same time. It also allows to decide which POIs should be displayed in the map view."
I have tested the new functions and can verify that they work as advertised, except for the ability to save a POI in my contacts list. I've asked Navigon for the secret. Update: You hold the phone number in the POI list down for a moment, and a menu appears allowing you to save the contact, add to an existing contact, or send a text message to that number.
Navigon has also updated the GUI, and while en-route you can get time of arrival and distance to destination without having to click on the screen. The map also displays your current speed, the posted speed limit (if available in the database) and the distance to your next turn.
While the points of interest database is not as large as the AT&T Navigator app, which is web connected, it is reasonably up-to-date and complete. A shopping center near me which opened last November was there, along with the new roads that were built around it. The database won't be perfectly up-to-date, but frankly, even Google is behind on POI locations near me.
Coming in future updates to MobileNavigator is real-time traffic, and text-to-speech, so street names get announced when approaching a turn. I know those are biggies for many buyers.
The Navigon MobileNavigator is $69.99 until the end of this month, when it goes up to $99.99.
There is also an update coming soon for the excellent iGO Navigator, so it is interesting to see the competition forcing new features and innovations.
I just received a press release from ALK Technologies announcing their CoPilot Live [iTunes link] nav solution for the iPhone. It looks feature complete, and sells for US$34.99. We'll be reviewing it ASAP.
If you are looking for nav for your iPhone, it's a good time to start comparing, and there are more apps and the TomTom solution on the way.
Here are some screen grabs from the latest version:
Gallery: Navigon Update
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
jonbruck said 3:40PM on 8-14-2009
CoPilot Live weighs in at over 1GB!
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matt said 3:41PM on 8-14-2009
I wonder if they have finally added full UK postcode search? Still the price is ridiculous compared to CoPilot.
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SerpicoLugNut said 3:55PM on 8-14-2009
CoPilot looks nice. I'll be buying it after work!
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Chow7 said 5:39PM on 8-14-2009
check out G-Maps. LEI is giving away copies for FREE!! http://limitededitioniphone.com/week-4-win-g-maps-east-or-west-for-iphone/
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SIP said 7:54PM on 8-14-2009
I have Navigon MobileNavigator ver1.1.0 (Europe build-324 20090716172210) and no update shows up for me.
Is this a US update only?
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Mike said 8:01PM on 8-14-2009
I have this app and while it does work pretty well I have one problem with it that has not been fixed.
I have used it for directions to a new place that I wasn't sure where it was and the app tells me that the location is on the northbound lane. Only problem was the directions led me to spot on the south bound lane and said my destination was on the north bound lane without telling me how to get there.
And before you guys say all you have to do is use a jughandle turn to get on the other side, here in NJ some of the shopping centers require you to get off an earlier ramp and then use another turn just to get in the shopping center.
I wish these guys would show you the full directions to the location including getting to the correct side of the highway.
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Griffon said 2:28PM on 8-15-2009
Ahhh so Alk copilot we meet again... or will we...
I had copilot for years on a (now super old) ipaq, I even bought several upgrades for it. It was generally a very good guidance system when joined to a good blue tooth GPS unit. I ultimately, angrerly, ditched it though. The ipaq had battery issues and would fully discharge (not alk fault of course but...) but their bloody fucking registration/activation DRM shit was so aggressive that every time the device had a problem or lost power completely I had to reactivate, over and over again.
This sucked eggs, especially in the field or late at night on the road with no network (calling in to activate when you are lost and pissed, and late is not fun).
I see notes in their itunes link to suggest that they have not really changed their ways (get through itunes link to avoid avtivation problems etc). ALK's DRM drove me to buy a dedicated unit even though I had tons of money sunk into hardware and software.
Protecting your IP at the expense and frustration of your paying customers is not cool. In writing this I realize I'm still pissed, 3 or so years later at all the aggravation.
So if you do test their package make you also test it with a range of device failure, reimage and other crap that might happen when it's important for it not to to gauge it's recover robustness, something that is very important for real world use, and something ALK had multiple epic fail for me.
I have nothing bad to say about the design they had for the application it's self though just their craptastic ever reactivate DRM.
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atothej said 6:16AM on 8-15-2009
why is text-to-speech such a biggie? Granted every time I had a high-end rental car with a state-of-the-art navigation system I thought: "this is kinda neat!", when it read street names to me, but it's not really that useful. I mean, by the time you are close enough to compare the street name to the street sign, it is already too late. and if you're really having troubles finding your way around it's not that much of a difference to glance at the display, read the street name and compare... frankly my dear, I don't give a damn...
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jack sutton said 8:28AM on 8-15-2009
As for Text to speech, I find sometimes there are two streets very close to each other and the "turn now" is not very clear as to which street it is to turn on, either because of the GPS accuracy or my speed, and knowing the name of the street gives me more information, and confidence, in these circumstances. Currently I must guess which turn to take and 50% of the time I need to get re-routed. So I am looking forward to this function, which I believe will make this product superior to all the other products, ESPECIALLY at their current $69 price!
SIP said 10:42AM on 8-15-2009
How did we ever manage without satnav?
atothej said 11:12AM on 8-15-2009
Ok, that makes sense. By the way, I just downloaded "roadee", anavigation app, that pulls its map data from openstreetmaps.org an costs only 1,59€. It needs an Internet connection, to load the map data, but already has text-to-speech (which is terrible when it comes to pronnounce German street names).
It is certainly not anywhere near navigon or tomtom, once that comes out. The fact that they did update so fast after bringing it to the app store, certainly gives me a lot of hope for he future, though. And it gets great reviews on iTunes, too. Anybody any experience with it?
Larry said 12:21PM on 8-15-2009
Still holding out for TomTom's App and Cradle, although at this point almost seems like Vaporware. If its not out by the first of October I'm probably going Navigon and a DLO VentDock
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Skeuomorph said 7:04PM on 8-15-2009
After this update, the screen does not stay lit. (It's not locking, just going dim.)
Backlighting kicks on before some turns, but not all of them. Any users know how to get the screen to stay backlit?
(The iPhone is plugged in to a Griffin iTrip AutoPilot charger, and mounted on the windshield with a Griffin WindowSeat.)
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Javier Plumey said 9:22PM on 8-15-2009
Does anyone know if any of the new GPS apps take advantage of the 3GS compass?
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